Extreme cold that has set in across Alberta has led to six times the usual volume of calls for roadside assistance from AMA.
Since Sunday, when much of the province was first put under an extreme cold warning, the Alberta Motor Association has fielded more than 30,700 calls for help.
“People’s safety is our top priority,” said Brandon Klassen, a manager with AMA automotive services.
“We’re prioritizing calls to ensure people in emergency situations receive help as quickly as possible and thank Albertans for their understanding as we work around the clock to reach those in need. It’s absolutely all hands on deck over here.”
Environment Canada doesn’t expect the extreme cold warning to be lifted until the end of the week and, for some regions, not until Sunday.
Wait times for roadside assistance vary across the province, but at around noon on Wednesday, the estimated wait time for a boost, flat tire or fuel in Edmonton was 23 hours and 59 minutes. In Calgary, the estimated wait time for the same boost service was 24 hours.
AMA’s roadside assistance service said the online request form is currently not providing a specific date for service requests with wait times of 24 hours or more.
“The estimated time of arrival you are provided may be for the following day, depending on current wait times in your service area,” a post on the AMA website explained.
The membership organization offered tips for drivers during cold weather:
- Plug in your vehicle at least four hours prior to driving it when the temperature is -15 C or colder
- If you have doubts about your vehicle’s battery health, consider alternate transportation until you can have a test done on the battery (AMA said battery tests and replacements would not be available during the extreme cold snap, but drivers could call other garages, including Lube City or select AARS Repair locations to ask about testing).
- If your vehicle doesn’t have a block heater, switching to synthetic oil in the winter will help the engine turn over
- Ensure your gas tank is at least half full and consider using gas-line antifreeze
- Make sure you have an emergency roadside kit on hand. It should contain, at minimum, a warm blanket, warm clothing, basic first aid kit, water, a snow brush and a cellphone charger
- If your vehicle breaks down, your safety comes first. Get to a warm place and don’t wait in your vehicle, as extreme temperatures make it dangerous to be outdoors (even inside a car)
- Drive to conditions, keeping in mind that roads are extremely slick and additional stopping distance is required
- Ensure your tires are properly inflated, as most tires lose one pound per square inch for every 5 C drop in temperature